Tax Credits

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total number of tax credit overpayments made to couples who have since separated is; and in how many such cases  (a) overpayments are owed,  (b) recovery of the whole of the joint liability is being pursued against one party only and  (c) one party is untraceable.

Dawn Primarolo: At April 2006 there were about 350,000 claims originally made by couples, who are recorded as having split up by that date, and for which there were outstanding undisputed overpayments over £10 for either 2003-04 or 2004-05.
	The other information requested is not available.